Rail land to be sold

[chemimike]

From New civil engineer
Abandoned rail in Leeds to go up for auction prompting calls to safeguard route
05 JAN, 2024 BY THOMAS JOHNSON

Land featuring a section of an abandoned railway line near Leeds is to go up for auction, prompting calls from campaigners to safeguard it for potential use as a strategic route between Bradford and Wakefield.

The Wortley Curve connected the Wakefield to Leeds line to the Bradford to Leeds line before it closed in 1985.

Campaigners have been demanding its reinstatement to improve connectivity between the key destinations in West Yorkshire but now their ambition is being threatened as Pugh Auctions has listed the parcel of land for sale on behalf of Railway Paths, a charity that owns ex-railway land.

The 1.3ha section of land is up for sale for £15,000. Bidding opens at 10am on 30 January and closes at 1:30pm the next day.

The site currently has heavy tree coverage but still retains some of the old rail track. It could be suitable for a variety of future uses, subject to any necessary consents.

The majority of the site sits to the south of Oldfield Lane adjoining Wortley Recreation Ground with a further section situated to the north of Oldfield Lane adjacent to residential housing on Tavistock Park and Tavistock Way. Leeds city centre is 3.2km to the east.

The underbridge on Oldfield Lane is excluded from sale as well as steel public overline footbridge near the site.

In response to the planned auction, English Regional Transport Association (ERTA) has written a letter to West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin, prime minister Rishi Sunak and Bradford and Leeds City Councils.

The letter said: “The ERTA has been made aware that the disused stretch of railway line on the outskirts of Leeds known as the Wortley Curve is up for auction in January with a guide price of £15,000.

“The Wortley Curve links Bradford directly with Wakefield avoiding the overcrowded Leeds City Station.

“The ERTA believes as a strategic rail route the link is worth much more to the economy of West Yorkshire than £15,000.

“Today we have written to the mayor of West Yorkshire, the CEOs of both Bradford and Leeds City Councils asking them to save the route.

“We have also written to the prime minister asking him to make good on the promise he made at the Conservative party conference of investing in transport projects here in the North after cancelling High Speed 2 (HS2).”

[dogduke]

One comment which I read somewhere(can't remember where) mentioned that there was Japanese Knot Weed in amongst all the other overgrowth.

[buffaloskinner]

Wortley Curve

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by ... =ESRIWorld

[blackprince]

The Wortley Curve connected the Wakefield to Leeds line to the Bradford to Leeds line before it closed in 1985.

I was surprised to read this but I have not been resident in West Yorks for a long time.
Did the Leeds to Bradford ( ie the one that ran through Armley and Bramley) line really close in 1985?

On the plan to auction off the Wortley Curve :
It strikes me that if there is the slightest possibility that the Wortley Curve needs to be reinstated to provide Bradford with better direct rail links to other parts of Yorkshire then it is very shortsighted to sell it for £15k.

On the other hand, if interested parties in Bradford, such as the council, want to keep the option open then £15k is not much to pay.

Does nobody in this country do Strategic Planning ( ie joined-up thinking ) anymore?

[Leodian]

This is a link to information about the sale that also shows the area to be sold. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/ ... el=COM_BUY. It will be interesting to hear what the sale price is (assuming it is not taken off sale).

[tyke bhoy]

The Wortley Curve connected the Wakefield to Leeds line to the Bradford to Leeds line before it closed in 1985.

I was surprised to read this but I have not been resident in West Yorks for a long time.
Did the Leeds to Bradford ( ie the one that ran through Armley and Bramley) line really close in 1985?

Sorry only just seen this and haven't investigated the link Leodian posted after. Only the Wortley curve closed in 1985, this being a short section that linked the Leeds- Bradford Line from just below the Oldfield Lane football ground to the Leeds- Wakefield line just before it swung southwoods to cross over the Leeds - Manchester line and head past the Elland Road ground. The lines back to Leeds both continued meeting at Wortley junction (pretty much overlooking Armley Gyratory). Leeds to Bradford via the newish (in 1985) Bramley station and New Pudsey is still open. I travelled the line regularly for about 2 years from the Autumn of 1982 to Summer 1984 but don't recall the branching off of the Wortley Curve but I do recall the Bramley station being under construction and then opening in that time frame. A reopened Wortley Curve would mean trains could run directly from Bradford to London without having to travel into Leeds Station and the associated turn around. At least one LNER service a day is meant to travel to/from Bradford and one to/from Harrogate. They are I believe regularly terminated at Leeds though.

[blackprince]

Thanks for clarifying that for me Tyke Bhoy.
I used to see about 4 coaches detached from the London KX _ Leeds Central train being hauled to Bradford along that line in Bramley when I got home from school at about 4.30 pm. Often pulled by a Jubilee Class steam loco in those days, mid-60s. The line also ran in a cutting past my old school, West Leeds High.

[buffaloskinner]

Wortley Curve in 1888

[buffaloskinner]

More here and sold at auction for £47,000

https://www.pugh-auctions.com/property/34640

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/c ... r-AA1mr0cM

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/dis ... r-AA1me5G6

[Leodian]

Thanks for the update buffaloskinner. I wonder what the buyer has in mind for site. Perhaps a hope that in very few years the railway network will decide the site would be ideal for a railway line!